The Microsoft Support Lifecycle (MSL) policy provides transparent, predictable information regarding the support lifecycle of Microsoft products. For more information on these new policies and applicable Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the MSL web site http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle.

Spotlight: Announcing the New Windows Phone 8 Support Lifecycle Policy

Microsoft is fully committed to Windows Phone and we are investing in a robust roadmap of new features and functionality for the future. As part of our dedication, we are pleased to announce that for Windows Phone 8, we will make updates, including security updates, available for 36 months. These updates will be incremental, with each update built on the update that preceded it. The mobile operator or phone manufacturer may control the distribution of these incremental updates and update availability may also vary by country, region, and device hardware capabilities. For more information, visit the Windows Phone Support Policy FAQ.

Windows 8.1 Support Lifecycle Policy

Windows 8.1 builds on the foundation of Windows 8, and includes many enhancements and great new features in key areas like personalization, search, the built-in apps, Windows Store experience, and cloud connectivity. Windows 8.1 also introduces new manageability, mobility, security, user experience and networking capabilities for businesses. The lifecycle of Windows 8.1 will remain under the same lifecycle policy as Windows 8 with support ending 1/10/2023. Windows 8 customers will have two years to move to Windows 8.1 after the General Availability of the Windows 8.1 update to continue to remain supported under the Windows 8 lifecycle. To help make the update seamless for customers, there are deployment tools and guidance available. Visit the Support Lifecycle site or contact your Microsoft Support Professional for answers to additional questions you may have.

The Time is Now to Prepare for End of Support for Windows XP

Support for Windows XP will end on April 8, 2014. Once we reach end of support, there will be no new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates. Our priority is to help all customers remain supported and secure, which is why we encourage our customers running Windows XP in their environment to update or upgrade their PCs before we reach end of support. If you are still running Windows XP in your environment, migration efforts should be well underway. Based on historical customer deployment data, the average enterprise deployment can take 18 to 32 months from business case through full deployment. To ensure you remain on supported versions of Windows and Office, you should begin your planning and application testing now, and we are eager to help you. Resources to help you get your migration effort underway and legacy support options should be discussed with your Technical Account Manager or Microsoft Account Representative.

Listed below are some of the products reaching end of support in the next 6 months. For a comprehensive list of Microsoft products and their lifecycle policy timelines, please search the Support Lifecycle Product Database.